Tokayev, Kassym-Jomart Kemelyevich, 1953–, Kazakh political leader and diplomat, president of Kazakhstan (2019–). After graduating (1975) from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, he joined the Soviet foreign service. After Kazakhstan became independent, he served as deputy foreign minister (1992), first deputy foreign minister (1993), foreign minister (1994–99), deputy prime minister (1999), and prime minister (1999–2002) in the governments of President Nursultan Nazarbayev. After resigning in 2002, he again served as foreign minister (2003–7), then became chairman of parliament's upper house (2007–11, 2013–19). From 2011 to 2013 Tokayev was deputy secretary-general of the United Nations. Upon Nazarbayev's resignation in 2019, Tokayev succeeded him as president; he was elected to the post later in the year.
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